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Greg Van Alst and Team Ready For Double Dose of ARCA Racing

By
Official Release
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WATKINS GLEN, NY: On the heels of another top-10 finish in ARCA Menards Series competition two weeks ago at Michigan International Speedway, Greg Van Alst and his team trek to the Fingers Lakes of New York ready to make the most of the final road course race of the season in Friday night’s General Tire Delivers 100 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

By no means does Van Alst consider himself a road racing ace, but on the strength of a respectable 12th-place finish in his road course debut last month at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the Anderson, Ind. native returns to the mindset of turning both left and right in hopes of delivering his eighth top-10 finish of the 2022 season.

“Hopefully the second road course is better than the first,” Van Alst said with a chuckle.

“Right now, it doesn’t look like there will be any rain which is a big relief from what we dealt with at Mid-Ohio.

“I don’t feel we did badly at Mid-Ohio; I am just inexperienced. So hopefully we take what we learned and get better at Watkins Glen.”

A long-time racer with aspirations of someday making a start in one of NASCAR’s top-three national divisions, Van Alst is familiar with the layout of Watkins Glen from studying previous races, but as the ARCA veteran knows – nothing is more adequate than actual seat time.

“For me, it’s just going to be about consistency at Watkins Glen this weekend,” added Van Alst. “I don’t expect to see us in contention for the win, but I think with a game plan, I think we can maintain a good enough pace that keeps our top-10 rebooted streak alive on Friday.”

With seven top-10s in the last nine races in a tough summer stretch, Van Alst is proud of the work that his all-volunteer team has committed to his No. 35 CB Fabricating Ford Fusion not only this summer but all year long.

“The momentum of our team is really big right now,” added Van Alst. This stretch has been tough on us with no full-time guys. I’m not complaining by any means, but I am proud of what we are doing with the way we operate and work hard to get to the race track every week.

“This weekend might be our biggest challenge yet, but I am confident if we can have a good race on Friday night, it’s only going to help us prepare for the rest of the weekend and Milwaukee next weekend.”

Following Watkins Glen, Van Alst will join the rest of the ARCA teams and travel west to the Illinois (Ill.) State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill where he’ll make his debut on a dirt track in the highly-contested Atlas 100.

“It’s a part of the dream right?” sounded Van Alst. “I’ll admit I’m more nervous about the travel to and from each track. You just worry about something happening out of your control. But, once you arrive at the track and unload, it is business as always but there are a lot of miles to cover in a short amount of time.

“I don’t know what to expect on Sunday as far as racing on the dirt. I’m just trying to have a positive open-mind approach and hope it will help for DuQuoin in a few short weeks.”

Chris Barkdull’s CB Fabricating, a longtime partner with Greg Van Alst Motorsports has boosted its commitment to the team and will continue its role as the primary marketing partner of Van Alst’s No. 35 Ford Fusion.

Headquartered in Anderson, Ind., CB Fabricating offers a complete list of fabricating from design, laser cutting, CNC punching, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly.

Their 26,000-square-foot facility allows them to service the needs of many different industries. Everything from the Automotive, agricultural, aquatic, medical, transportation, electrical enclosures, and much more.

“We are accelerating forward and preparing for this six-week stretch and none of it would be possible without the support of Chris,” expressed Van Alst.

“The consistency we have shown over the last two months is the type of pace that will keep Chris and everyone on this team in it for the long haul,” expressed Van Alst. “Everyone left Michigan International Speedway feeling like we got our mojo back.

“With every race complete, even if it is not the finish we are hoping for, it’s a small victory for our team knowing the large mountain that is still left to climb. I’m thankful to have the support of Chris and CB Fabricating.”

In addition to CB Fabricating, Top Choice Fence, Norton Transport, KRJ Race Products and Lintz Creative will serve as associate marketing partners for Van Alst’s 24th career ARCA start.

Entering Michigan, Van Alst sits a career-high fourth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, 84 markers in the arrears to championship leader Nick Sanchez.

“Step by step, we will do everything we can to catch the top three,” sounded Van Alst. “No question they have been the three strongest cars all year, It’s not going to come without some luck and strong finishes, but we are not going to go down without a fight. This is a tough series and we are still proud of where we are at.

“We still stay focused.”

For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).

For more on CB Fabricating, please visit CBFabricating.com and like them on Facebook (CB Fabricating).

The General Tire Delivers 100 (41 laps | 100.45 miles) is the 13th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Friday, August 19, 2022, from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying kicks off at 4:25 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 and the Motor Racing Network beginning at 6:00 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).

The Atlas 100 (100 laps | 100 miles) is the 14th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Sunday, August 21, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. General Tire pole qualifying kicks off at 11:15 a.m. The event will be televised live on MAVTV and FloRacing beginning at 1:00 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

DGR ARCA Menards Series Advance: Watkins Glen & Springfield

By
Official Release
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Friday, August 19
Track: Watkins Glen International, 2.45-mile road course
Race: 13 of 20
Event: General Tire Delivers 100 (41 laps / 100 miles)

Schedule
Practice: 3:15 p.m. ET
Qualifying: 4:25 p.m. ET
Race: 6:00 p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1)

Sunday, August 21

Track: Illinois State Fairgounds, 1-mile dirt track
Race: 14 of 20
Event: Atlas 100 (100 laps / 100 miles)

Schedule
Practice: 11:00 a.m. ET
Qualifying: 12:15 p.m. ET
Race: 2:00 p.m. ET (MAVTV/FloRacing)

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance Mustang

  • Taylor Gray enters a doubleheader weekend with the ARCA Menards Series this weekend. He will make his second career appearance at Watkins Glen International on Friday followed by his third appearance at the Springfield Mile on Sunday.
  • At Watkins Glen one year ago, the 17-year-old driver finished seventh in a stout field of cars. He also competed in the Truck Series race last season, but mechanical gremlins plagued the team resulting in a 35th-place finish.
  • On the dirt at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Gray has finishes of fourth and third in the last two seasons. For this event, the team has prepared a Ford Fusion entry out of its fleet of ARCA cars.
  • Friday’s event will serve as the seventh round of the Sioux Chief Showdown. The No. 17 sits second in the standings, 19 points behind leader Sammy Smith.

DXDT Racing Ready for Racecars, Brats, and Cheese at Road America Doubleheader

By
Official Release
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ELKHART LAKE, Wis., (August 16, 2022) – DXDT Racing may be in for an exciting weekend of racing at Road America for the next rounds of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS. Dubbed “America’s National Park of Speed,” Road America’s long straight and sweeping corners provide no shortage of excitement and promise to deliver nail-biting action for the weekend ahead, August 19-21.

Twenty cars are set to compete in the weekend’s festivities for the GT World Challenge America series, with the Pro/Am class making up more than half of the field. DXDT Racing will kick off the weekend with race fans in downtown Elkhart Lake on Thursday, August 18 at Siebkens Resort. From 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the official welcome party will feature a parade of all of the weekend’s race cars, a driver autograph session, outdoor food and drinks, and live music for fans to enjoy while admiring all the cars on display. The event will be free and open to the public.

After recently completing a two-day private test on the 4.048-mile circuit, the DXDT Racing No. 63 usalco Mercedes AMG GT3 and No. 08 Qelo Mercedes AMG GT3 are ready to compete in back-to-back races on Saturday and Sunday, in Rounds 9 and 10 of the 14-round championship. Drivers David Askew, Dirk Muller, Scott Smithson, and Bryan Sellers may have to deal with mixed weather conditions that are often the norm for the Wisconsin-based road course. Though the weekend schedule shows sunny skies and clear conditions for Friday’s practice sessions, Saturday and Sunday’s race days have a 50% chance of rain for both days.

Fitted with two drivers, each Mercedes AMG GT3 will compete in a pair of 90-minute races. Askew and Smithson, the amateur-ranked drivers, will take the green flag for race one on Saturday at 2:15 PM Central, then hand the driving duties over to their professionally ranked drivers to finish the race. Muller and Sellers will start race two on Sunday afternoon at 1:15 PM CT, and as their co-drivers did the day before, pit halfway through to let their teammates finish the event. Both races will air live on YouTube.com/GTWorld.

DRIVER QUOTES

David Askew | No. 63 USALCO Mercedes AMG GT3

Road America is a favorite. It’s one of the “Big Tracks.” Everything about it is big: big speed, big corners, big straights, “The Kink,” it has it all! Another great aspect are the fans. The track really has a “car guy/gal culture” and the fans always turn out. I really love chatting with the fans that stop by the tent. I always try to put a little kid in the car, you never know who’s going to get the bug and be the next Lewis Hamilton. Let’s not forget the “egger with brat.” Nowhere else can you get brat on your egg sandwich. You can tell I like this track!

Dirk Müller | No. 63 USALCO Mercedes AMG GT3

I’m really looking forward to racing at Road America this weekend. Road America is one of my favorite race tracks in North America and probably the world. It has all the right challenges: fast and slow speed corners, technical corners, and some elevation changes in there too. You really have to dial the car in for a good setup here. I’m very pleased with where we are as a team right now. With every test, we’re doing huge improvements, day by day. We’re doing a good job of making the team stronger every day we work together. I’m very pleased we had a couple of good test days here at Road America last week. When we concluded, we were looking very strong and will build from there. A podium is on our minds for this weekend and having both cars on the podium would be stellar. As always, I’m really happy to be here and am looking forward to it.

Scott Smithson | No. 08 Qelo Mercedes AMG GT3

Road America is one of my favorite tracks on the calendar. we had a good test and we are looking to have a good result. Hopefully, we can turn things around and finish out the season strong.

Bryan Sellers | No. 08 Qelo Mercedes AMG GT3

Road America is an amazing racetrack with so much history. I love the city, and I love the race. Historically Mercedes has been a great car for this track and hopefully, we can turn that into a result.

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ABOUT DXDT RACING
DXDT Racing is a high-performance sports car racing team founded in 2014 by team principal David Askew and located in Statesville, N.C. The Team’s primary focus is GT3 and Touring Car racing in North America. DXDT is a provider of turnkey racing support and delivers customized racing solutions for its clients and sponsors. DXDT is a performance-driven team comprised of highly experienced racing professionals capable of delivering wins and championships, including ten wins in GT World Challenge and a Rookie of the Year in 2020 alone. Follow the team on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for race season updates.

About USALCO
USALCO is the premier manufacturer of Aluminum based chemicals for industrial and municipal markets. USALCO® is the leader in potable as well as industrial water and wastewater treatment chemistry. We are well-known for high quality and low cost alumina chemical applications, such as products for the manufacture of catalysts, titanium dioxide and molecular sieves. With over 60 years of experience in manufacturing coagulants, USALCO’s extensive product line includes our industry leading brands DelPAC®, AlcoPAC®, and Delta-Floc®. USALCO has 27 manufacturing locations, as well as its own dedicated fleet of trucks, ready to service needs anywhere in North America.

About Qelo
Qelo is a seasoned land development firm, founded and managed by experienced partners who hold over 50 years combined experience in real estate investment and capital management. The firm’s varied projects range from land development, vertical construction, and land banking. Qelo focuses on a portfolio of diversified projects throughout the ever-expanding Utah market and across the Intermountain West – this focus allows the firm to strategically select high-quality short-term and long-term projects to take advantage of a rapidly expanding economy within the region.

For more information, visit www.qelocapital.com.

Racer Gives Others a Turn Around in Life as the Fanatec GT World Challenge America Comes to Road America August 19-21

By
Official Release
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ELKHART LAKE, Wis., August 16, 2022 – First-time visitors to a racetrack can walk away with indelible memories.

In some cases, those moments can turn around a life.

Students from Milwaukee-based Great Lakes Adult & Teen Center will get an up-close look at Road America during the Fanatec GT World Challenge, Aug. 19-21.

There are 200 Teen Challenge Centers in the country. The nonprofit organizations, which in some states have expanded to include adults (men and women), offer residential programs for people who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.

Biblical principles and Christ-centered ministry are significant components of the 15-month program. People at the Great Lakes organization live within a five-hour radius of Milwaukee.

Terry Borcheller, chaplain and president at Motorsports Ministries, shared the story of a young man who was part of a previous teen challenge program in the early 2000s.

The teenager was instantly taken by the sights and sounds at the track, according to Borcheller.

“He was completely entranced with everything — the cars, the drivers, the ministry side, and the various personal testimonies shared,” Borcheller said.

“When he graduated from the program, he decided to go to NASCAR mechanics school because of his involvement with the racetrack.”

As a result of the experience and his education, his life was turned around for the better, and he became a crew member for Borcheller’s race team that won the 2014 Grand-Am Championship. “He was the best tire changer in the paddock,” Borcheller said.

The man is now a mechanic for a race team in the IMSA Series.

Borcheller organized outings for a Florida-based Teen Challenge Center to Daytona International Speedway for 11 straight years, with the help of Dale Sankey, from Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Now, Borcheller is thrilled to get the chance to help at Road America, along with Rev. Craig Harper, who’s been executive director at Great Lakes Teen & Adult Center for 30 years.

Don Miske from Allentown, Wisconsin, is also helping coordinate the activities at Road America. About 30 Great Lakes students will participate in several coordinated events at the permanent road course in Elkhart Lake during the weekend.

“Most of these people have never been to a racetrack,” Borcheller said. “That’s why I think it’s so great for Road America.

“They’re giving us tickets to allow these folks to come and experience something they’d otherwise never have the chance to experience. ‘Look, if you get one of these guys engaged to where they’re realizing this is a passion that they never even knew existed, you’ve got somebody who can come and be a corner worker or work at the gate.’ They can become part of the community. They get sucked into it, get addicted differently, and love it.”

Besides Daytona and Road Atlanta, Borcheller took groups to Laguna Seca Raceway & Sonoma Raceway, among others, in years past.

Borcheller shares some of his personal experiences with faith and racing and introduces students to a slew of people from the racing community. Past speakers have included Patrick Dempsey and Hurley Haywood.

Great Lakes students will get to watch Borcheller compete. And maybe several will take away some interesting situations — listening to testimonies from several racing influencers and going to the car’s technical inspection.

“They’ll do some spectating in some of the best spots, do some tours with different teams, get introductions from some drivers and team owners and managers,” Borcheller said.

“They get to be part of something extraordinary that many of them didn’t know existed.”

The students will also watch Borcheller race.

Borcheller will get behind the wheel at Road America, competing in a GT-4 Toyota Supra with car owner Nick Shanny running with Carras Callus Race Team.

Borcheller is no stranger to Road America. He first competed on the track in an endurance kart in 1980. He’s won many races at Road America in various cars and series.

“I love the area around Road America,” Borcheller said. “The atmosphere is special, but the track complements it as well. Road America is always at the top of my list as one of my favorite tracks.”

The Fanatec GT World Challenge at Road America will showcase two 90-min races featuring full-service pit stops, driver changes, and non-stop excitement on Saturday and Sunday.

In addition, the weekend schedule will feature the Pirelli GT4 America, GT America, & TC America powered by Skip Barber for a jam-packed weekend of elite sportscar racing.

Ticket prices vary by day, starting at just $40. Kids 16 and under get free general admission with a paying adult at the gate. Racing runs rain or shine. For additional event details and tickets, check out www.roadamerica.com

About Road America: Established in 1955, Road America is conveniently located between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 65 years. Along with over 500 events held seasonally at the 640-acre facility, several major weekends are open to the public, which include the IndyCar Series, the MotoAmerica Series, three vintage racing events, numerous Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and NASCAR. Road America’s park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, numerous camping options, fantastic concessions, and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Fans can also stay and play in cabins conveniently on the grounds and find all sorts of souvenirs, collectibles, and apparel at the 7,500 sq. ft Paddock Shop. Affectionately known by many as America’s National Park of Speed, Road America can accommodate groups of all sizes, including weddings and corporate events in the Tufte Conference Center. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers various group event programs, including geocaching, disc golf, and off-road adventure tours, karting, and the Road America Motorcycle and Driving Schools. For more information, visit www.roadamerica.com Follow Road America on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube or call 800-365-7223

Lundgaard inks multi-year extension with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Adam Lovelace for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has retained rookie Christian Lundgaard on a new multi-year contract extension, beginning in the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season.

The 21-year-old Lundgaard from Hedensted, Denmark, is currently embarking in his maiden season in the IndyCar circuit, where he achieved his maiden podium after finishing in second place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in late July. He also achieved his maiden start in the top three after posting the third-fastest qualifying time during the previous IndyCar event at Nashville Street Circuit in early August.

To go along with a total of six top-10 results through the first 14-scheduled events and despite being ranked in 15th place in the drivers’ standings, he currently leads the IndyCar Rookie-of-the-Year standings with 272 points, where he is 41 points ahead of David Malukas and 91 ahead of Callum Ilott.

“I have to say a big thanks to [team co-owners] Bobby [Rahal], David [Letterman] and Mike [Lanigan] for giving me this opportunity to extend my time with the team,” Lundgaard said. “We’ve had some good results lately, and I’m sure this has also helped their decision. First of all, I’m just happy and super excited that they gave me this opportunity. A year ago at the [Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course], we qualified well [fourth] and they decided that they wanted me for a full season [in 2022]. We’ve made the most of the opportunity so far. I’m sure there are times when we could have performed better but now we have the opportunity to continue this progress.”

“We’ve been to a lot of tracks so far and have come back to some and finished on the podium, which I hope to continue,” Lundgaard added. “Qualifying third in Nashville was a big milestone for me. Making the Fast Six – and not being at the end of the Fast Six but actually having a shot at competing for the pole – was a great experience for me. We didn’t quite finish where we wanted [eighth] but it was good to have that experience and now everyone is making the most of it. I’m happy for everyone at the team, my family and the sponsors and investors, everyone that has made this possible. I’m looking forward to continuing to build momentum.”

Prior to this season, Lundgaard made his IndyCar debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in August 2021, where he qualified fourth and finished 12th while competing for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. His transition to full-time IndyCar competition occurred following an extensive racing background that commenced with karting before winning the 2017 SMP F4 and F4 Spanish Championships. He went on to compete in Formula 3 in 2019 before spending the following two seasons in Formula 2 for ART Grand Prix, where he accumulated two victories and a best points result of seventh place in 2020.

“I am so pleased with Christian’s progress with the team and within the series,” Bobby Rahal said. “He has shown that he can be a force to be reckoned with in these races. He works well within the team, and we are pleased that we are continuing for the next several years because I believe he will continue to improve and be a potential winner in the very near future.”

“Christian has done a great job acclimatizing to the variety of challenges and new experiences this season,” Mike Lanigan added. “His approach and professionalism continues to impress us and his performance, especially in the second half of the season, speaks volumes about his potential. We are very happy to have him as part of the team for the years ahead.”

With his plans for next season set, Lundgaard’s quest to capture the 2022 IndyCar Rookie-of-the-Year title continues through the final three events of the season, beginning this upcoming weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500. The event is scheduled to occur on Saturday, August 20, at 6 p.m. ET on USA Network.

Supercharged 2021 F150 | ‘The Haul’ Video

By
Official Release
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AmericanTrucks Releases Stage 1 of Build

PAOLI, Pa. (August 15th, 2022) – Aftermarket parts authority, AmericanTrucks (AT) has released a new episode in its YouTube series, titled ‘The Haul.’ The video features a 2021 F-150 Lariat owned by AT host, Justin Dugan. Justin brings the community along for the first stage of his build, adding a Corsa Sport Exhaust System and Whipple Supercharger kit. Tuned to add a total of 250HP, Justin heads to the track to see what the truck can do at the quarter mile. With the release of this episode, AT hopes to fuel its truck-loving community with ideas and inspiration for their own ride at home.

Justin’s 2021 F-150 Lariat is a replacement for his 2017 Raptor – an off-road build documented on AT’s channel with over 1 million views to date. This time around, the build will be more “street inspired, with a whole lot of horsepower,” says Justin. With the addition of a Corsa Sport Exhaust System and Whipple’s all-new 3.0L Supercharger kit, the goal for stage 1 is to double the power and then head to the Maple Grove Raceway to test out the results.

With horsepower and sound checked off the list, Justin is ready to “throw a whole ton of modifications” at his rig. Truck-enthusiasts can follow along to see how they can take on their own project with confidence. AT invites viewers to subscribe to its YouTube channel to stay up to date on all things F150, including much anticipated stage 2 of Justin’s build.

View it Here: https://www.americantrucks.com/thehaul-2021-f150-track.html

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

About AmericanTrucks

AmericanTrucks is regarded as one of the best, most reliable online aftermarket retailers supplying parts and accessories for F150, F250, Ranger, Silverado, Sierra, and RAM. Catering to the needs and demands of late-model truck owners and enthusiasts, AmericanTrucks provides the best parts with support from genuine truck experts. Located just outside of Philadelphia, AmericanTrucks is dedicated to offering the truck community with the highest quality of parts and customer service. Please visit https://www.americantrucks.com for more information.

Brad Keselowski – Watkins Glen Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Violet Defense Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Twitter: @RFK6Team, @RFKRacing and @keselowski

Race Format: 220.5 miles, 90 laps, Stages: 20-20-50

NASCAR Cup Race at Watkins Glen – Sunday, Aug. 21 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· The traditional weekend format is on tap this weekend with practice split into two groups Saturday afternoon, immediately followed by group qualifying.

Keselowski at Watkins Glen

· Despite not having a win to his credit at Watkins Glen, the New York track stands as Keselowski’s best road course statistically with a 13.4 average finish in 11 starts.

· He has six top-10 finishes, including four inside the top five, with three career runner-up results. He first finished second back in 2011, and followed that with two more P2 results in 2012 and 2013. He also has a third-place finish in 2016, and most recently ran ninth in 2019.

· Keselowski also carries an average starting position of 11.3 with six starts inside the top-10, including a P1 start last season when qualifying metrics during COVID determined starting lineups.

· Keselowski also has 10 starts in Xfinity at WGI with one win (2013) and nine top-10s.

Matt McCall at Watkins Glen

· McCall will be atop the box for his seventh Cup race at The Glen where he has three top-10s and an average finish of 15.3.

· He’s finished 14th or better in all but one race, and has a career-best P7 finish in 2018. Most recently he finished 13th (2021) and 10th (2019) with Kurt Busch.

QUOTE WORTHY
Keselowski on racing at Watkins Glen:
“Watkins Glen is a place I’ve felt really good at over the years, but have just missed out on a win there a handful of times. Our road course program has seen significant improvements and we’re again excited to show that off this weekend, and also have a great notebook from a test Chris did earlier this year. We know what we’re up against, just have to go execute this weekend.”

Last Time Out

Keselowski finished 15th in Richmond last Sunday after finishing fourth in stage one.

On the Car

Violet Defense returns to Keselowski’s No. 6 this weekend for its fifth appearance with the No. 6 team in 2022.

About Violet Defense

Violet Defense uses UV disinfection to protect everyday spaces from harmful pathogens by killing up to 99.9% of E. coli, Salmonella, MRSA, C. diff., Norovirus, C. auris, and coronavirus. Violet Defense’s technology is the only known Pulsed Xenon solution that can be installed into a room full-time, creating a continuous way to address disinfection needs of all types of settings. For more information, visit www.violetdefense.com or follow us on Facebook or LinkedIn (@violetdefense).

Christopher Buescher – Watkins Glen Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @RFK17Team, @RFKRacing and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 220.5 miles, 90 laps, Stages: 20-20-50

NASCAR Cup Race at Watkins Glen – Sunday, Aug. 21 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· The traditional weekend format is on tap this weekend with practice split into two groups Saturday afternoon, immediately followed by group qualifying.

Buescher at Watkins Glen

· Buescher lines up for his seventh Cup start from The Glen this weekend where he has a best finish of 11th (2017). Last season he finished 17th.

· He has a best qualifying effort of 16th which came in 2019, and overall has a 22.3 average starting position.

· Buescher also made two Xfinity Series starts there in 2014-15, earning a third-place finish in 2015 after starting fifth for Jack Roush.

Scott Graves at Watkins Glen

· Graves has two career top five finishes in Cup at The Glen with a third-place finish in 2017, and a fourth-place finish in 2018 – both of which came with Daniel Suarez. He most recently finished 25th with Ryan Newman the last two seasons.

· In his first-ever NASCAR National series race at The Glen back in 2012, Graves led Carl Edwards to a win, and followed that with a third-place run with Buescher in 2015, and a fourth-place finish in 2016.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Watkins Glen:
“I’m excited. I’m ready for the win.”

Last Time Out
Buescher had one of the best drives of his career Sunday at Richmond, finishing third after a strong showing in the Fastenal Ford.

On the Car

Fastenal, in its 12th season with RFK in 2022, makes its 14th appearance with the No. 17 this weekend. In its early days with RFK, Fastenal originally was a partner with the No. 99 team before moving over to the No. 17 team since. They were also the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity Series entry that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

Fastenal will feature top suppliers Georgia Pacific, DeWalt, Klever Innovation and ACS Motorola on Buescher’s Mustang as he competes this weekend. For more information on these suppliers, visit Fastenal.com, and stay up-do-date on social @FastenalCompany.

About Fastenal
Fastenal [Nasdaq: FAST] is North America’s largest fastener distributor and a ‘one-stop’ source for hundreds of thousands of OEM, MRO and Construction products. With more than 2,600 stores worldwide, the company supports B2B customers with tailored local inventory and dedicated personnel, who visit regularly, quickly respond to emergency needs, and provide efficient inventory management solutions. Fastenal’s service-oriented business network includes the world’s largest industrial vending program, 14 regional distribution centers, 8 custom manufacturing facilities, thousands of delivery vehicles, and industry-leading sourcing, quality and engineering resources.

Flying Lizard Hopes to Build on Recent Success at Road America

By
Official Release
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ELKHART LAKE, Wis,. (August 16, 2022) – Following a productive double-podium weekend at Watkins Glen International, the drivers and team members of Flying Lizard Motorsport journey to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin for the next two rounds of the GT America powered by AWS and Pirelli GT4 America championships. Racing a pair of Aston Martin Vantage GT4 cars with race car drivers Elias Sabo and Andy Lee, the team will be closing out their third event at Road America in four weeks after their Porsche Sprint Challenge and Lamborghini Super Trofeo efforts previously raced on the fan-favorite road course.

“I’m really looking forward to this upcoming weekend,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “Road America is one of the greatest tracks in the United States not only to race on, but the entire atmosphere during the race weekend is amazing. Moving into the second half of the season, the point battle is close, the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 is really working well. Elias, Andy, and the entire team have been on such a great run since the start of the year, and we have a lot of momentum coming into this weekend.

The weekend will begin with the annual Fanatec GT World Challenge Parade and Welcome Party in downtown Elkhart Lake. Featuring a race car parade from the circuit to Siebkens Resort, live music, an autograph, and race cars on display, beginning at 5:00 PM Eastern.

GT America powered by AWS

Though he put in one of his best race performances all year, while racing for podium positions the previous two rounds of the GT America series at Watkins Glen, did not go as expected for Sabo. After contact from other cars set back the No. 8 Aston Martin to finish further down the charts, Sabo will be fired up, ready to rebound this weekend at Road America. Twenty-seven competitors will participate in the weekend in the SRO3, GT2, and GT4 classes. The Bronze-only series holds two races per weekend, each running for 40 minutes. Race one will begin on Saturday, August 20 at 12:15 PM CT, and the series will conclude the weekend with race two on Sunday, August 21 at 9:00 AM CT. Both races will air live on YouTube.com/GTWorld.

Pirelli GT4 America powered by AWS

In Pirelli GT4 America, Sabo and Lee share the No. 8 Aston Martin Vantage in a pair of 60-minute races, each driver competing in half of the race while his co-driver completes the other half. Sabo and Lee make a formidable duo, celebrating three podium finishes in eight races. Still hunting that first win, the Flying Lizard pair have momentum on their side, riding into the weekend on a streak of three consecutive podiums. Both Sabo and Lee had their best qualifying sessions in the previous rounds at Watkins Glen International, with Sabo starting the first race in fifth and Lee from third. The team’s continued success brings them up to fifth in the Pro/Am class team standings, just three points away from fourth place. Thirty-five cars will compete in this weekend’s set of races, with race one beginning on Saturday, August 20 at 4:05 PM CT, followed by race two on Sunday, August 21 at 11:10 AM CT. Both races will air live on YouTube.com/GTWorld.

EVENT SCHEDULE | All Times Central

Thursday, August 18

5:00 PM – 8:00 PM Welcome Party at Siebkens Resort

Friday, August 19

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM GT America / Pirelli GT4 America Paid Bronze Test

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM GT America Practice 1

12:00 PM – 12:45 PM Pirelli GT4 America Practice 1

1:45 PM – 2:15 PM GT America Practice 2

5:15 PM – 6:00 PM Pirelli GT4 America Practice 2

Saturday, August 20

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM GT4 Autograph Session

8:00 AM – 8:15 AM 15 GT America Qualify

10:40 AM – 10:55 AM Pirelli GT4 America Qualify Driver 1

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM Pirelli GT4 America Qualify Driver 2

12:15 PM – 12:55 PM GT America Race 1 (YouTube.com/GTWorld)

4:05 PM – 5:05 PM Pirelli GT4 America Race 1 (YouTube.com/GTWorld)

Sunday, August 21

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM GTA Autograph Session

9:00 AM – 9:40 AM GT America Race 2 (YouTube.com/GTWorld)

11:10 AM – 12:10 PM Pirelli GT4 America Race 2 (YouTube.com/GTWorld)

DRIVER QUOTES

Elias Sabo

No. 8 Aston Martin Vantage GT4

We are looking forward to the upcoming races at Road America. We had great success at Watkins Glen with a double podium weekend. Flying Lizard continues to give us an exceptional car to drive.

Andy Lee

No. 8 Aston Martin Vantage GT4

We’ve been riding a wave of podiums and it feels like we’re gaining serious momentum heading into the Road America weekend. Despite our recent success Elias and I know we have to work harder than ever to continue our progress. Thankfully for us we have the best team in the paddock!

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About Flying Lizard Motorsports
Based out of Sonoma, California, Flying Lizard Motorsports is one of the most iconic sports car teams in motorsports, having celebrated ten driver and team championships, as well as competed internationally at the 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times.

The Lizards burst on the American Le Mans Series scene in 2004, competing in the GT class until 2012. In 2013, the team moved to the GTC class, still competing in legendary events such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2014, the team expanded its program to include running two Audi R8 LMS in the TUDOR Championship, and in 2015, again expanded the program to include two Porsches in Porsche Club racing. Flying Lizard closed out the season with a dominating win at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill with Toyo Tires, a win they repeated in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The 2020 season proved the team’s most successful to date, earning four titles in the GT4 America championship. Flying Lizard Motorsports has proven to be a championship contender no matter the race series or race car. For more information, visit lizardms.com.

About 5.11
With offices around the globe, 5.11 ABR Corp. and its subsidiaries, including 5.11, Inc., work with end users to create purpose-built apparel, footwear and gear designed specifically to enhance the safety, accuracy, speed, and performance of tactical professionals and technical enthusiasts worldwide. 5.11 products exceed rigorous standards, which have allowed the brand to establish a reputation for innovation and authenticity, and become the premier choice for those who always have to be ready. 5.11 products can be purchased online, through authorized dealers and retailers, as well as at 5.11 company-owned retail stores.

Learn more about 5.11’s best-selling gear and accessories at www.511tactical.com. Find a full list of 5.11 company-owned retail stores at https://www.511tactical.com/locations/. Connect with 5.11 on Facebook, Twitter @511Tactical and on Instagram @511Tactical and #511tactical

5.11 ABR Corp. is a subsidiary of Compass Diversified (NYSE: CODI).

5.11, 5.11 Tactical and Always Be Ready are registered trademarks of 5.11, Inc. All rights reserved.

Amber Balcaen; Rette Jones Racing Optimistic Ahead of ARCA Doubleheader

By
Official Release
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WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.: Taking a much-welcomed off-week to reset, ARCA Menards Series rookie Amber Balcaen and Rette Jones Racing trek into an ARCA doubleheader weekend with an optimistic approach beginning with Friday night’s General Tire Delivers 100 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

Watkins Glen marks the second and final road course race of the season. Two days later, Balcaen and her Mark Rette-led team thunder to the Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield) for the first of two ARCA Menards Series races on the one-mile dirt in the Atlas 100 on Sunday, August 21.

While Balcaen will have zero laps turned at both race tracks, she is still approaching the unknown with a positive attitude in hopes that her mental approach will finally be the key to ending a frustrating summer for the driver of the No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion.

“I’m happy to get another shot at a road course and hope Watkins Glen will be a good race for our Rette Jones Racing team,” said Balcaen.

“I think Watkins Glen will fit my driving style a lot better than Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course did and hopefully I’ll be able to showcase that from practice to the checkered flag on Friday night.

“Hoping the rain stays away so we can get a fair crack at getting a top-10 finish with our No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion.”

Soaring past the halfway point of the ARCA Menards Series season, Balcaen and her Mooresville, N.C.-based team hope to stop a challenging six-race stretch that has resulted in an average finish of 17.1 for the freshman ARCA driver.

While Balcaen has continuously been able to showcase speed with her No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion at tracks like Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Michigan International Speedway and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway to name a few – getting to the end of the race has proven to be tough as issues have prevented Balcaen from delivering her fourth top-10 finish of the year.

The popular ARCA driver and team know that there is light at the end of the tunnel and with a recent reboot approach to the season – Balcaen is remaining confident as she knows there have been plenty of positives hidden behind the negative.

“We just have to continue to focus on the positives,” explained Balcaen. “There has been a lot of bad luck and a lot that has happened outside of our control. But we showed speed at Pocono, and we showed up with speed again in the most recent race at Michigan International Speedway.

“So, we know we are capable of running consistently in the top-10, it’s just a matter of our luck turning around and hopefully the races at Watkins Glen and Springfield provide the opportunities for us to get back on track.”

While the former Late Model driver has experience on a road course last month, Sunday’s 100-laps on the dirt will be a different task even with her background and success racing on the dirt in her previous racing endeavors.

“I think this weekend will be a lot of fun,” sounded Balcaen. “My background is dirt track racing so I am excited to be on the dirt on Sunday. It will be a busy weekend but as long as everything flows smoothly it should be a really fun one as well.”

Hopeful for two additional top-10 scores on Friday night and Sunday respectively, Balcaen is focused on getting a solid pace that would put her No. 30 Rette Jones Racing team in a positive spotlight with just six races remaining after Sunday.

“Dirt racing is my background so I feel confident about the dirt race, and as far as the road course race, I know I am a lot more capable than what I showed at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course,” spoke Balcaen.

“I am just looking for big improvement turning left and right and letting our car slide perfectly on Sunday afternoon. From there, we can look ahead to The Milwaukee Mile next weekend.”

For crew chief and co-team owner Mark Rette, he is confident that his rookie driver’s positive outlook will soon pay dividends.

“Amber is not going to give up and when our luck turns for the better, she is going to deliver the finishes I know we are capable of,” offered Rette. “Everything that has happened over the last several races has been a learning experience and will help the program for the long term.

“We’ll take our battle wounds and press on. She did a great job at Michigan and we experienced a parts failure. Hopefully, a double dose of racing gives us the shot in the arm that we need to turn our season around and focus ahead on the upcoming stretch drive.”

Amber Balcaen 05.09.22a.jpg

ICON Direct will continue to adorn the primary positions on Balcaen’s race car in their 13th and 14th of 20 races this season.

ICON Direct is a manufacturer of high-quality plastic component parts for the RV industry, located in Manitoba, Canada. ICON aftermarket replacement parts are available through RV Dealers and Distributors across North America and directly through their website IconDirect.com.

The Winnipeger’s new endeavor at Rette Jones Racing will also be supported by Glenn McLeod and Sons – cementing a full Canadian roster of partners for her ARCA Menards Series rookie season.

Longtime RJR partners Ford Performance, Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems, Jones Group Demolition and Abatement and JRi Shocks will continue their relationship with the team in 2022 and serve as associate partners on Balcaen’s No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion.

RJR is co-owned by Canadian entrepreneur and former race car driver Terry Jones.

Entering Watkins Glen, Balcaen sits sixth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, 36 points out of fourth and 120 markers in the arrears to championship leader Nick Sanchez.

For more on Amber Balcaen, please visit amberbalcaenracing.com, like her on Facebook (AmberBalcaenRacing) and follow her on Instagram (@amberbalcaen10) and Twitter (@amberbalcaen10).

For more on Rette Jones Racing, please visit RetteJonesRacing.com, like them on Facebook (Rette Jones Racing) or follow them on Instagram (@RetteJones30) and Twitter (@RetteJones30).

The General Tire Delivers 100 (41 laps | 100.45 miles) is the 13th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Friday, August 19, 2022, from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying kicks off at 4:25 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 and the Motor Racing Network beginning at 6:00 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).

The Atlas 100 (100 laps | 100 miles) is the 14th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Sunday, August 21, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. General Tire pole qualifying kicks off at 11:15 a.m. The event will be televised live on MAVTV and FloRacing beginning at 1:00 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

About Rette Jones Racing:

Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) was founded in 2015 with the intent of building a successful racing operation built around the fundamentals of hard work and a never-give-up attitude.

Owned by racers Terry Jones and Mark Rette, RJR plan to field a full-time entry in 2022 in the ARCA Menards Series, while also planning to field vehicles in the ARCA Menards Series East and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) respectively.

The winning ARCA team also offers technical and setup intel as part of its technical alliance partnership program.

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